The Syrian doctor talks about the first book he translated, “100 Cases in Surgery“, at the beginning of his years of expertise during his medical studies at Aleppo University Hospital. During the early years of the Syrian revolution, circumstances did not allow him to pursue translation during the growing need, with few libraries and publishing houses in opposition-held areas.
Novel references are necessary for medical courses because processing techniques and equipment are constantly evolving, explained Dr. Al-Zarak. Given that the educational system in Syria relied on the Arabic language for most human medical courses, there was a greater need for Arabic books.
Sufficient characteristic for the field
Dr. Wasel al-Zarak collectively Arabized the books with several surgeons, most of whom had previously worked with him in field hospitals in opposition-held areas.
According to al-Zarak, the need for these books arose after the numerous traumatic injuries to people as a result of each raid or artillery shelling on the one hand in the areas of northern Syria, and the lack of experience in the field. Trauma surgery as it was not previously part of the curriculum in humanitarian medical colleges in Syria.
His second book, The Top Scalpel, was published in 2016 as an Arabic version of Top Knife: The Art and Craft of Trauma Surgery by Dr. Asher Hirshberg and Dr. Kenneth L. Mattox, featuring several Syrian doctors specializing in trauma surgery in northern Syria. The book was popular and widespread because of its necessity among doctors working in the field.
The third book has not yet been published due to the need for revisions and corrections. Although one of the surgical references, the doctors involved did not have enough time to finish work on it, al-Zarak confirmed that the book is within the working plan to release it as soon as possible.
As the fourth, most recent book, it deals with a “unique” subject, according to al-Jarq’s description; Its name is Pediatric Critical Surgical Care. It was translated by a number of distinguished doctors led by Dr Mohammad Baath, an expert in the field and published about three months ago.
According to Al-Zarak, the translation of the fifth book, titled Surgical Complications, has been completed, and is in the review stage to be published as soon as possible.
Abd al-Rahman Istanbuli, a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Medicine at Aleppo Free University, said 90% of the curriculum is in Arabic. In his view, the aforementioned Arab books were useful for explaining medical matters practically rather than as “boring fiction”.
Istanbuloli said such books help to further reinforce learning outcomes, especially during practical studies in hospitals and clinics.
What are the challenges?
One of the challenges the doctors faced was the lack of publishing houses to print Arabic books, while some libraries participating in the Idlib and Azaz book fairs approached the Syrian doctor to obtain permission to print them and sell copies of said books. had reached Without deriving any financial benefit to the doctors within the book fairs.
With regard to prices, Al-Zarak said that the books are primarily of interest to both students and doctors practicing surgery and that the prices determined were close to cost and considered the financial capabilities of the students.
Difficulties in coordinating the work of teams located in geographically different regions, allocating a sufficient number of doctors to review, adhering to timing, and requiring specialized printing and publishing houses to publish books on paper and electronically These were some of the challenges the doctors faced. Working on Arabic books.
According to a study by researcher Mohammad Ahmad Khalil published on the website of the Syrian Center for International Relations and Strategic Research (SCIRS) in February 2021 about the reality of higher education in northern Syria, the responses of 31.1% of students who participated in a questionnaire was that the degree to which the curriculum was linked to the labor market was “weak”, while 45.9% reported “average”.
Students and graduates of public and private universities in northern Syria face difficulty in external recognition of their university-issued academic diplomas, forcing most to accept job opportunities, even if it is outside of their university. Do not belong to the chief.
News Source – enabbaladi